Faf du Plessis takes the blame for AB de Villiers’ run-out

There is something with South Africa and ICC tournaments. Ever since winning the inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998, they have not won a single ICC tournament. And what looked like their best chance to break the drought finally, is now over too. Perhaps they can now hope to win the World Cup in 2019.

Talking of the virtual quarter-final against India yesterday, AB de Villiers’ run out was a turning point of the game. Another run out of David Miller further killed their hopes. And at both the times, it was Faf du Plessis who found himself on the other hand. After that, wickets kept falling one after the other, and they were bundled out for 191 in 44.3 overs. Team India won half the game by that time.

Du Plessis, who played the ball towards point and ran signalling ‘yes’ to the Proteas captain admitted that the misjudgement of the run in the case of de Villiers’, was his fault. “I take full responsibility for AB’s run-out,” the Test skipper said after South Africa’s eight-wicket defeat. “That’s my fault. Obviously he (de Villiers) is a big player for us and he was looking good and it was a crunch time in the game. Big mistake on my part running AB out.”

AB just answered Faf’s call 

When the captain himself was asked to for his comments on what appeared a funny misjudgement, two batsmen diving in on the same side of the wicket to save themselves, he had a philosophical answer to give.

“You see, I just tried to take a one with my partner out there and it didn’t work. I wasn’t searching for runs, I wasn’t even facing. There was a call out there, and I thought we could get through for the one,” said de Villiers.